WHO WAS SIR WALTER RALEIGH? WHAT WAS HIS CONNECTION TO ELIZABETH I? WHAT IS HIS CONNECTION TO EL DORADO? WHAT IS HIS LEGACY?
Answer prepared by: Natalie P.
Sir Walter Raleigh is known as an English aristocrat, explorer, poet, soldier, courtier, introducer of tobacco in Europe, and author from Elizabethan England; however, most importantly, he was a highly regarded favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. Raleigh was born the son of Walter Raleigh and Catherine Champernowne in Devon, England. His family was a devout Protestant, which soon led him to hate Queen Mary I, who held deeply rooted beliefs in Catholicism. When Elizabeth I rose to the throne in 1558, Raleigh quickly expressed his views of religion, finding favor in the Queen’s similar viewpoints.[[#_ftn1|[1]]]
As one of the Queen’s chosen, Raleigh had many experiences in court life; ventures in South Africa, the Virginia colony, and other lands. In 1580 under the Queen’s directions, he returned from ventures in Ireland to settle down at court where he became a very close companion of Queen Elizabeth I.[[#_ftn2|[2]]] In 1585, he was knighted and from then on received high positions and awards from England’s royal family. Such appointments included the Durham House in the Strand and the estate of Sherborne, Dorset, the Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, and as Lord Warden of the Stannaries of Devon and Cornwall. Then in 1588, he was appointed to the great office of state as the Vice Admiral of Devon. His appointments continued as he progressed further into the Queen’s favoritism.
Despite great affection between Queen Elizabeth I and Raleigh, their relationship was never formal, but was one of an affectionate manner. However, even though he was favored, he was swiftly imprisoned for marrying one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting without the Queen’s permission. His imprisonment would not be Raleigh’s only time served in jail.
Luckily, Raleigh did not serve for a long duration in prison. Upon the success of a captured Spanish ship Madre de Dios’ treasures of gold and jewels; Raleigh was released from prison to distribute the profits. Eventually, he rose to favor once more and was awarded a position in parliament. In 1594, rumors began to circulate of a Golden Spanish City at the headwaters of the Caroní River; a year later he set out to explore present day eastern Venezuela and Guyana in search of the mystical city Manoa. [[#_ftn3|[3]]] Upon his unsuccessful return to England he published his account in 1596 called The Discovery of Guiana. The account exaggerated his finding and served as a great inspiration to the legend of El Dorado, which that there existed a city of gold and unbelievable wealth.[[#_ftn4|[4]]] This led the myth of the Golden City to become one of great controversy; did it or did it not exist?
As a result of Elizabeth’s I death in 1603, Raleigh’s favor in the court dissipated immediately, and he was imprisoned Tower of London on July 19th on accounts of treason due to suspected involvement in a plot against King James. On November 17th, Raleigh was convicted, and sentenced to death. He resided in the tower until 1616, spending countless hours writing about ancient Greek and Roman history. On October 29, 1618, he was beheaded at Whitehall. His final words are claimed to be "Strike, man, strike!" which he said to the executioner. Before his death he stated, "At this hour my ague comes upon me. I would not have my enemies think I quaked from fear." [[#_ftn5|[5]]]
Currently, his body is resting at St. Margaret’s, Westminster. His death in history has been seen as a prime example of how unjust the court system was then. Many innocents like Raleigh were unfairly imprisoned and executed without fair trials or without even slight reason. Today North Carolina’s state capital in 1792, was named after Sir Walter Raleigh, the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island, North Carolina also exists. Along with this, one of the Royal Hospital School’s boarding houses has been named after him.[[#_ftn6|[6]]] Despite being executed as a disgrace to his country and King, Sir Walter Raleigh is remembered as one of the incredible minds of the Elizabethan Age and a favorite of the great Queen Elizabeth I.
WHO WAS SIR WALTER RALEIGH? WHAT WAS HIS CONNECTION TO ELIZABETH I? WHAT IS HIS CONNECTION TO EL DORADO? WHAT IS HIS LEGACY?
Answer prepared by: Natalie P.
Sir Walter Raleigh is known as an English aristocrat, explorer, poet, soldier, courtier, introducer of tobacco in Europe, and author from Elizabethan England; however, most importantly, he was a highly regarded favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. Raleigh was born the son of Walter Raleigh and Catherine Champernowne in Devon, England. His family was a devout Protestant, which soon led him to hate Queen Mary I, who held deeply rooted beliefs in Catholicism. When Elizabeth I rose to the throne in 1558, Raleigh quickly expressed his views of religion, finding favor in the Queen’s similar viewpoints.[[#_ftn1|[1]]]
As one of the Queen’s chosen, Raleigh had many experiences in court life; ventures in South Africa, the Virginia colony, and other lands. In 1580 under the Queen’s directions, he returned from ventures in Ireland to settle down at court where he became a very close companion of Queen Elizabeth I.[[#_ftn2|[2]]] In 1585, he was knighted and from then on received high positions and awards from England’s royal family. Such appointments included the Durham House in the Strand and the estate of Sherborne, Dorset, the Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, and as Lord Warden of the Stannaries of Devon and Cornwall. Then in 1588, he was appointed to the great office of state as the Vice Admiral of Devon. His appointments continued as he progressed further into the Queen’s favoritism.
Despite great affection between Queen Elizabeth I and Raleigh, their relationship was never formal, but was one of an affectionate manner. However, even though he was favored, he was swiftly imprisoned for marrying one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting without the Queen’s permission. His imprisonment would not be Raleigh’s only time served in jail.
Luckily, Raleigh did not serve for a long duration in prison. Upon the success of a captured Spanish ship Madre de Dios’ treasures of gold and jewels; Raleigh was released from prison to distribute the profits. Eventually, he rose to favor once more and was awarded a position in parliament. In 1594, rumors began to circulate of a Golden Spanish City at the headwaters of the Caroní River; a year later he set out to explore present day eastern Venezuela and Guyana in search of the mystical city Manoa. [[#_ftn3|[3]]] Upon his unsuccessful return to England he published his account in 1596 called The Discovery of Guiana. The account exaggerated his finding and served as a great inspiration to the legend of El Dorado, which that there existed a city of gold and unbelievable wealth.[[#_ftn4|[4]]] This led the myth of the Golden City to become one of great controversy; did it or did it not exist?
As a result of Elizabeth’s I death in 1603, Raleigh’s favor in the court dissipated immediately, and he was imprisoned Tower of London on July 19th on accounts of treason due to suspected involvement in a plot against King James. On November 17th, Raleigh was convicted, and sentenced to death. He resided in the tower until 1616, spending countless hours writing about ancient Greek and Roman history. On October 29, 1618, he was beheaded at Whitehall. His final words are claimed to be "Strike, man, strike!" which he said to the executioner. Before his death he stated, "At this hour my ague comes upon me. I would not have my enemies think I quaked from fear." [[#_ftn5|[5]]]
Currently, his body is resting at St. Margaret’s, Westminster. His death in history has been seen as a prime example of how unjust the court system was then. Many innocents like Raleigh were unfairly imprisoned and executed without fair trials or without even slight reason. Today North Carolina’s state capital in 1792, was named after Sir Walter Raleigh, the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island, North Carolina also exists. Along with this, one of the Royal Hospital School’s boarding houses has been named after him.[[#_ftn6|[6]]] Despite being executed as a disgrace to his country and King, Sir Walter Raleigh is remembered as one of the incredible minds of the Elizabethan Age and a favorite of the great Queen Elizabeth I.
[[#_ftnref1|[1]]] Jokinen, Anniina. "Sir Walter Ralegh (1552-1618)." Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature. Renaissance English Literature, 19 Jan. 2007. Web. 04 Apr. 2010. <http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/ralegh.htm>.
[[#_ftnref2|[2]]] Picard, Liza. Elizabeth's London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London. New York: St. Martin's, 2004. Print.
[[#_ftnref3|[3]]] Nicholls, Mark; Williams, Penry (September 2004). "Ralegh, Sir Walter (1554–1618)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23039?docPos=1
[[#_ftnref4|[4]]] "Sir Walter Raleigh." Elizabethan Era. Web. 04 Apr. 2010. <http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/sir-walter-raleigh.htm>.
[[#_ftnref5|[5]]]and 6 "Sir Walter Ralegh Bids Farewell to His Wife." Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature. Web. 04 Apr. 2010. <http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/raleghfarewell.htm>.